School shut down

THE Young and Powerful School at Goonellabah yesterday was forced to shut down because of a lack of funding.

At a meeting of staff and management on Thursday, it was decided the school was no longer financially viable and would not reopen its doors at the start of Term Two on April 26.

The independent school accommodates children who have been rejected from State and independent school systems or students who have had traumatic social or educational experiences.

Former principal Glenn Woods, an educational consultant to the school, said the school had received financial support from the State and Federal governments, but its level of funding was about 60 per cent of that of public schools.

He said only 13 students enrolled this year, a third of the number of students last year and the school could not generate enough private funding through fees.

Mr Woods said the school needed an additional 30 to 40 enrolments to be viable.

Classroom assistant Maea Martin said the current students would have to return to schools in the region, but only a handful would integrate successfully.

"We would love to be able to carry on but it's a financial thing more than anything else - we can't afford to run," Ms Martin said.

"There's a couple of kids I fear will go for a week (in another school) and who knows after that."

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